A motion supporting adding at least 100 miles of bus lanes in Los Angeles within the next five years was introduced Wednesday by Council President Nury Martinez.
Martinez asked for a report from the city’s Department of Transportation and Metro on plans and strategies to build the bus-only lanes with a focus on communities with the highest ridership and are the most dependent on transit.
“When we talk about improving our transportation system, we need to focus on the hardworking people who rely on our buses to be efficient and on-time every day,” Martinez said.
“For hundreds of thousands of Angelenos, this is their livelihood — it’s their primary method of transportation. If we can ensure access to fast and reliable transportation, and limit the time spent waiting for a bus, we can take yet another burden off the backs of working-class families.”
Buses account for two-thirds of Metro’s ridership, of which 70% make around $19,000 per year. Of the 119 Metro bus lines, 105 of them operate within Los Angeles, according to the motion.
“While not directly responsible for bus service, the city of Los Angeles should do everything it can to ensure that our infrastructure supports the system and offers a comfortable and fast ride,” the motion states.
The council voted last month to place a measure on the ballot in 2024 that would fast-track implementation of Los Angeles’ ambitious mobility plan, which calls for large-scale construction of bike lanes, pedestrian routes and other street improvement measures to make roads less car-centric.
Martinez’s motion also requests various city departments collaborate with Metro on strategies to upgrade areas around bus stations, including making it easier to get to or from a bus stop from home or work, providing additional transit options at bus stops, extending curbs to align bus stops with the parking lane, full lane markings and signal improvements.